The Messiah’s Secret – Adopted Children of God
“To redeem those under the law, so we might receive adoption as sons and because you are his sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba Father!” Galatians 4: 5, 6. Sons and daughters, children of God.
I started writing this blog at 5.30am this morning (Sunday) I was given the word ‘Adopted into the family of God.’
Many thousands of children go through the adoption process that legally unites them into a family and are entitled to all the benefits like that of the other children in the family.
The other children in the family of God
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he reminded the Jews and Gentile that Jesus Christ had broken down the barriers between them.
Paul had the revelation of the meaning of the cross, a mystery, not revealed until after the dispersion through persecution of which Paul had been a major figure in rounding up followers of ‘The Way’ and taking them bound to Jerusalem. Acts 9: 2. 3: 1-6.
At the beginning the apostles and followers found it confusing during this transition period, but without doubt they expected Jesus to return soon after Pentecost.
The Messiah’s Secret Revealed (For the last 20 years this word has filled my heart)
The time for the leaders of the nation of Israel to accept Jesus as their Messiah, a national calling, was at and after Pentecost.
Peter said, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Romans).” It was in the foreknowledge and plan of God that the Messiah would be the final sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
Peter and John spoke of their leaders and people’s ignorance in allowing the Romans to crucify their appointed Messiah. “You acted in ignorance . . . . Repent therefore that your sins may be blotted out . . . .and that he may send the Christ (Messiah) appointed for you, Jesus.”
Peter said, “This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Romans).” It was in the foreknowledge and plan of God that the Messiah would be the final sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
Peter and John spoke of their leaders and people’s ignorance in allowing the Romans to crucify their appointed Messiah. “You acted in ignorance . . . . Repent therefore that your sins may be blotted out . . . .and that he may send the Christ (Messiah) appointed for you, Jesus.”
Paul on their first ministry tour at Antioch of Pisida said, “For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognise him or understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning him.” Paul went on to tell about the resurrection and King David’s prophecy concerning the resurrection of the Christ being fulfilled.
There at Antioch of Pisida the Gentiles were eager to hear the good news and be filled with the promised Holy Spirit. Paul came up against Jewish opposition, Paul and Barnabas witnessed boldly saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you.. . . . behold we turn to the Gentiles.” Acts 13: 27, 46.
Even Peter found some of Paul’s teaching in his letters hard to understand. 2 Peter 3: 15, 16.
Gentiles being adopted into the family of God becoming children of God was a hard thing for Peter to accept, even though he had stepped out in faith when he visited the Gentile Cornelius and shared with the whole family and close friends about the ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus and experiencing the Holy Spirit filling their lives. Later he also experienced the wrath of the Circumcision Party over his visit to Cornelius’ home, ‘he ate with them’. Acts 10: 24, 34-43. 11: 3.
Paul’s conversation with the apostles and elders at Jerusalem the Holy Spirit gave them guidance James the Lord’s brother sent out a letter to the churches with Gentile converts in Antioch and Syria to make peace between them by putting some restrictions on what they ate and their moral behaviour.
God created faith as part of us: people exercise putting their faith in many things it is common to a lot of people:
My daughters learnt to swim using at first water wings to keep them afloat. At some point they took a step of faith and removed their water wings and as a result found they could stay afloat without them.
The man in the TV ad made preparations to have a bar-b-cue even though it was raining he believed the weather forecast that it would be fine in the afternoon and so he watched and waited for the blue sky to appear and sure enough it did and the sun came out.
Faith is to believe that Jesus has made us right with God, not by the good works we might do but by God’s love.
John the Apostle wrote, “But to all who received him, who believe in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1: 12, 13. RSV Bible
God has graciously adopted us Gentiles the other nation into a new covenant that embraces all humanity. The Bible speaks of there only being two nations: Jews and Gentiles).